The Florida Cattle Enhancement Board has provided production research opportunities for the Florida cattle industry. We caught up with Gene Lollis, former Florida Cattlemen’s Association President and current Director of Ranch Operations at the Archbold Research Station, Buck Island Ranch to learn about his experience with the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board. “The Enhancement Board has been huge for our state. …
Deltapine® NPE Growers Evaluating 2027 Class of Varieties
Bayer Deltapine® New Product Evaluator (NPE) Program is evaluating the 2027 class of cotton varieties. We caught up with Eric Best, Deltapine® Cotton Product Manager to learn more. Best said, “We were sitting here talking about this two months ago, and we’ve seen cotton prices go up. We’re seeing a little bit of momentum and positivity around attitudes around the cotton …
National Peanut Board New Brand Promotion
 A bold new era for the peanut industry. That’s the voice of the National Peanut Board, who announced this week a new program to help promote peanuts. It’s a game changing brand platform, they said, that will champion this, represent the 7000 peanut farming families across America. They said that this is a special, new strategic push to connect the Gen Z population, a generation that …
USMEF Highlights March Exports of Pork and Beef Variety Meat Values
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is highlighting the pork exports for March, as well as the value of beef variety meats. According to USMEF, “March exports of U.S. pork were among the largest on record, concluding a very strong first quarter, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).” Pork exports in …
A Mothers Day Poem
Mother’s Day coming up on Sunday, sharing a poem I wrote some 35 years ago about mothers on the farm. She walks to the house with the mail under her arms, stopped by the clothesline where the sun feels warm. Another load ready to fold, the line is sagging from the weight of the load. She walks by the flowers that need …
One-Room Schoolhouses: A Cornerstone of Rural American Agriculture
The Roots of Rural Education One-room schoolhouses hold a unique and enduring place in American agricultural history. As highlighted by agricultural historian Mark Oppold, these modest structures were more than just places of learning—they were vital community hubs that helped shape rural life across the United States. One of the earliest known examples is the Eureka Schoolhouse, constructed in 1785 …
Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Calls For DOJ Investigation Into Proposed Acquisition
Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper is calling for the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to conduct an antitrust investigation into the proposed acquisition of Restaurant Depot by Sysco Corporation. In a letter sent earlier this week, Commissioner Harper highlighted that Sysco already controls nearly 20% of the food service market and that “This proposed acquisition …
Peanut Exports Increasing
About 20 to 25 percent of the peanuts in America are exported to foreign countries and other areas. The main two buyers are of course Mexico and Canada. They’re our next-door neighbors. But in February this year the U.S. exported 54,792 metric tons. That is an increase of 49 percent compared to that same period last year. The increase was driven by …
USDA Provides Update on Corn Planting Progress
Drought conditions have impacted the progress of planting across the southeast. Brad Rippey USDA Meteorologist provided an update on the progress of corn planting across the country. “With that variable weather in the Midwest, rain followed by cool weather, we did see some progress slowing down. For example, Illinois only planting 9% of the corn during the week, so that overall progress …
Department of Justice Announces Antitrust Investigations into Meatpackers
The Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, in conjunction with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, announced earlier this week that the U.S. Department of Justice has began antitrust investigations into the meatpacking industry. During a press event, Acting AG Blanche highlighted the ongoing work that has been done to address the price of pork, chicken, turkey, and beef. Secretary Rollins …










